


The one where Bucky is a cat

by Renne



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Curses, Gen, M/M, Shapeshifting, petting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-27
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-26 23:15:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/655456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renne/pseuds/Renne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Bucky shows up on Steve's doorstep with all his Winter Soldier baggage and a shapeshifting curse in tow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The one where Bucky is a cat

"You know the arm is a going to be problem 'til we sort the rest of this out," Steve says.

Bucky scowls at him.

"Look, we can't put it back on as long as this is still happening. You know what happened to you the first time here and how much pain you were in. I imagine it was even worse when you were on your own," Steve says.

Bucky still scowls.

"I spoke with Doctor Strange and without him examining you it's hard to know exactly what has happened. He doesn't want to just throw random spells at you because it could make things worse. He needs to look at you," Steve says.

Bucky sighs.

"You know this—here—can't last forever, Buck. Sooner or later everyone is going to find out I'm harbouring a... an enemy of the state in my house. It's better we come forward ourselves instead of them finding it out when I smuggle you into Stephen's and he realises who you are," Steve says. "Because he will."

Bucky looks away.

"You're right," Steve says. "This conversation should wait until you feel more talkative."

He gets an particularly irritated little flick of Bucky's tail at that, which okay yes, he knows it's entirely unfair for him to have this conversation when Bucky's a cat, but still. He knows Bucky. It's so much easier to deal with him when he's small and furry.

The first time Bucky changed had been ten days after he'd shown up on Steve's doorstep, disoriented and half out of his mind. Steve hadn't even known there was a chance Bucky could still be alive after all these years; so he'd hidden him away, and conned Tony—the only one with systems free from monitoring from the higher powers who Steve answers to—into giving him some quality time alone with a terminal and all the records Tony has access to (both legal and clandestine). He wouldn't be surprised if Tony went back through his history to see what he'd looked up, but to this point Tony hasn't said anything and if he hasn't then Steve won't either.

Still in a state of disbelief that Bucky could possibly be alive and was a notorious assassin to boot, Steve had come home from Stark Tower to find Bucky gone. Steve—well, he hadn't exactly been surprised that Bucky had run off, given the self-destructive way he'd been behaving, even when Steve tried to help. Especially when Steve tried to help. No, he'd been shattered, but not surprised.

Except then Steve found Bucky's metal  _arm_ on the floor in the bathroom, the shoulder end rust red and sticky with blood like it had been torn away from his body. A trail of blood led from the bathroom through to Steve's bedroom—not the spare room, where Bucky moaned and thrashed his way through the night—and under the bed.

That's when he'd found the three-legged, black and brown cat, blood-stained and limp.

Bucky hadn't liked the vet in the slightest. Even groggy from blood loss he'd been vicious about being anaesthetised. Steve wasn't surprised—Bucky was a _cat_ , what was there left to be surprised about? But from what little information he'd been able to glean from his brainwashed best friend about what had happened to him, Bucky had every right to fear being put under. (And, god, it broke Steve's heart.)

That first time Bucky changed into a cat, Steve hadn't thought he'd ever change back, except five days later he'd woken to discover Bucky naked and asleep on the couch. He'd given Bucky time to dress before an undignified shouting match ensued over a) how Bucky hadn't told Steve about the curse, or really, y'know, _anything_ , and b) how Steve had taken Bucky to a _vet_ and he'd had to wear a bucket on his head and _cat food what the hell_. 

After the second time it happened, Steve managed to convince Bucky not to reattach the arm, since in hindsight the bloody bandages at Bucky's shoulder when he'd shown up and the wound he wouldn't let Steve treat made a whole lot more sense.

This time, the fourth time, Steve's kind of getting used to having a cat around the house. There's no consistency in the length of time Bucky stays a cat, and how long between changes, but he's still not keen on going to see the good Doctor and Steve's not inclined to push it. Not since Bucky's finally starting to become more comfortable around him (both as a cat and ask a human) and Steve would rather work on that for now than risk Bucky running.

As much as Bucky complains about the cat food when he's human, as a cat he eats it like it's going out of fashion, so when Steve sets a plate down of horrendous smelling fish-based crap he gives Steve a reproachful look but jumps down from the back of the couch. It's awkward and he nearly plants on his face, still not used to his three legs, and glares at Steve again as if expecting him to make something of it.

"Not saying a word," Steve says, holding his hands up defensively. He settles in on the couch and puts on the game. 

He's not surprised when Bucky jumps up on the couch a few minutes later, though, because Bucky normally stakes out one end when Steve's watching a game. No, what surprises him is Bucky carefully negotiating his way across the soft cushioning and hopping up onto Steve's lap. 

Steve blinks. "Hello," he says. Bucky's never done that before, he's always so carful to avoid Steve touching him. He slumps down in Steve's lap, his tail twitching. Before he can help himself, Steve's raised his hand and rubbed Bucky's belly. Bucky sinks his teeth into Steve's thumb in vicious retaliation and wow, he didn't like that a bit.

"Sorry," Steve says, pulling his hand back with wince. Bucky sighs heavily and curls up, his eyes closing and his tail tucked over his nose. 

It doesn't take Bucky long to fall asleep, and even though Steve knows what happened last time (though the punctures have already healed) he gently rubs behind Bucky's ear and down the line of his jaw. Bucky cracks an eye open and Steve stops, although he doesn't take his hand away. Then Bucky's eye closes again and Steve grins, scratching gently. At that he gets a sharp flick of the tail in response but persists, because he's not being threatened with claws or teeth. Eventually he's rewarded when Bucky starts purring. _Purring_. He's never heard Bucky purr before and Christ, it's adorable. _  
_

Emboldened, Steve ruffles Bucky's head with both hands and scritches his fingers down Bucky's back. Even though his tail still lashes and he takes a lazy swipe with his paw, it's like Bucky can't help himself and his purring crescendos as he stretches out, kneading at the air as he pushes his head against Steve's hands. Cat or human, Steve can't remember the last time he saw Bucky this happy. It certainly wasn't this century.

It all goes sideways when Steve accidentally rubs against the stump of Bucky's front leg. Bucky hisses and starts, claws digging deeply into Steve's thigh as he bolts, skidding off the edge of the couch and tumbling to the floor.

"Buck—" Steve starts to his feet but Bucky's already gone. "Shit." He rubs at his leg, where bloody pin-pricks are already staining the fabric of his trousers.

He searches the whole house but there isn't a sign of Bucky anywhere. Then Steve notices the door to his bedroom is ajar, just enough for a cat to have shouldered his way through. He softly pushes the door open and kneels by the bed, peering under. Bucky glares back at him. "I'm sorry," Steve says. "I didn't mean to touch do it." 

Bucky hisses. 

"C'mon, Buck, it was an accident, I won't do it again," he cajoles. "Come back out?"

When Bucky starts inching forward, Steve sits back a little and waits patiently. Finally he sees a nose and whiskers emerge from under the edge of the bed, followed by the rest of Bucky.

"Can I pick you up?" asks Steve, almost holding his breath. He slowly extends his hand but Bucky shies away, instead hesitating a moment before hopping his front paw up onto Steve's leg and stretches, touching his cold nose against Steve's cheek.

Steve scoops him up and Bucky lets him, making a soft noise that's almost a purr and Steve carries him back through to the living room, settling back on the couch. He hasn't missed anything on the television, and to be honest, he's more focused on his best friend (he might be a sap but he still thinks of Bucky as a best friend, even after everything).

"If you turn back into a human right now, I'm not going to be happy," Steve warns and it's a day of firsts because Bucky chirps at him and headbutts his chin. He's never vocalised before apart from hisses and snarls, and now he's standing on Steve's lap, front paw planted on Steve's chest, purring and nuzzling almost urgently like he's finally remembered what affection feels like after too long in the dark.

"Hey, shh," Steve says gently as he gentles Bucky down into his lap. "It's okay, you're okay." Eventually Bucky settles, purring softly, and they stay like that until Steve dozes off too, his feet up on the coffee table and Bucky's tail curled over his wrist.

(When he wakes, it's hours later and dark outside. Bucky's human again, and Steve can hear him in the kitchen fixing dinner.)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] The one where Bucky is a cat](https://archiveofourown.org/works/661484) by [Renne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renne/pseuds/Renne), [sisi_rambles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sisi_rambles/pseuds/sisi_rambles)




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